Sales Meets Marketing: Debunking the Myths

For as long as I can remember, there’s been this unspoken (and sometimes very spoken) tension between Sales and Marketing. It’s the classic rivalry - Marketing thinks Sales doesn’t follow up on the leads they generate, and Sales thinks Marketing doesn’t really understand what it takes to close a deal.

It’s a story as old as time - or at least as old as PowerPoint and CRMs.

I’ve worked with some incredible sales professionals over the years, and one thing that always comes up is the so-called ‘Great Sales & Marketing Divide.’ There are plenty of myths about why these two teams don’t always see eye to eye, so I wanted to dig into them and challenge some of the biggest misconceptions. Here’s my honest look at the top 5 myths that keep Sales and Marketing at odds, and more importantly, how we can break down the barriers and work better together.

1. “Sales and Marketing Don’t Get Along”

This is probably the biggest myth out there. Yes, there are differences - Marketing focuses on brand, awareness, and demand generation, while Sales is focused on closing deals. But at the end of the day, we’re working toward the same goal: winning customers and keeping them happy. When the teams are aligned, the results speak for themselves.

Some of my biggest allies and advocates in business have been in the Sales team. In fact, some of my Sales colleagues from years ago are still good friends - we still pick up the phone for a Sales Meets Marketing therapy session now and then!

2. “Marketing’s Job is Just to Generate Leads”

If I had a pound (or a dollar, for my US friends) for every time I heard this, I’d be writing this from a beach somewhere. Marketing does so much more than just fill a pipeline - we’re shaping the entire customer experience. From the moment a potential customer becomes aware of a brand to the moment they sign a contract (and beyond), Marketing is influencing every touchpoint.

Image credit: Adam Regester

I once held a Sales induction meeting to help new joiners understand what Marketing really does and how we could work together. I kicked things off with a whiteboard session, asking a simple question: What does Marketing do? Almost every person in the room wrote a version of, "Make Sales Money." Then, I presented a slide showing that 97% of the buyer’s journey is completed before they even engage with a salesperson - and I mapped out all the touchpoints along that 97% that Marketing is responsible for. Let’s just say, there were a lot of stunned faces.

But more importantly, respect for the Marketing team grew. Those new Sales joiners became our biggest champions, the first to volunteer for testing out new tactics and ideas - and they went on to be some of the most successful people in the new business team.

3. “Sales Doesn’t Use Marketing’s Work”

Ever heard the phrase, “I don’t even know what Marketing does all day”? If you haven’t, you probably don’t work in Marketing. This myth comes from a lack of communication. Sales teams often don’t realise how much content, research, and strategic positioning Marketing provides to make selling easier. When both teams sync up, we see better lead nurturing, more effective messaging, and higher win rates.

One of the ways I tackled this was by setting up monthly Marketing drop-in sessions - both in person and virtually - where the Sales team could just rock up (and yes, we had cake!). It gave them a chance to ask questions, see what we were working on, and get a sneak peek at upcoming campaigns. More importantly, it helped them understand the data and metrics we produced in our reports, giving them the insights they needed to fine-tune their own approach. These sessions became a game-changer, turning what could have been a disconnect into a real collaboration.

4. “Marketing Doesn’t Understand the Customer Like Sales Does”

Sales teams are on the front lines, having real conversations with prospects and customers daily. That’s invaluable. But Marketing is looking at the bigger picture - market trends, customer behaviour, industry insights, and competitive positioning. When we share knowledge instead of keeping it siloed, we create a much stronger strategy that speaks to the real needs of the customer.

To bridge this gap, and to build the credibility and personal brand of our sales experts - I started interviewing them for blogs. I’d put together a list of the Top 10 most frequently asked questions in their specialist vertical or area of expertise, then publish the answers to showcase their knowledge while also creating valuable content for customers. Not only did this help Marketing gain deeper insight into the customer’s mindset, but it also positioned our Sales team as trusted advisors in their space.

We didn’t stop there. We used data and analytics from these blogs to identify the hottest topics and built out round-table events for target users, ensuring we were bringing Sales and Marketing together to drive meaningful conversations with the right people. By tapping into the expertise within the Sales team, we were able to create content that resonated, built credibility, and directly contributed to lead generation and customer engagement.

5. “Sales and Marketing Should Just Stay in Their Lanes”

Nope. Some of the best results come when the two teams collaborate throughout the entire customer journey, not just at the lead handover stage. The best Sales & Marketing teams I’ve worked with are the ones where marketers sit in on sales calls, and salespeople contribute to marketing content. Alignment leads to impact.

One of the most effective ways I’ve built this alignment is by making sure Marketing has a seat at the table. Whether that’s being invited to quarterly Sales all-hands, joining Sales pod monthly meetings, or dropping into team huddles. These moments are invaluable for understanding what’s happening in their world, hearing first-hand the challenges they’re facing, and demonstrating how Marketing can help.

The biggest game-changer? Simply being in the room and openly asking, “How can I help?” It’s a small question, but it’s led to some of the most productive, collaborative relationships I’ve ever had with Sales. When Marketing is actively present, not just sending emails from afar, it shifts the dynamic from ‘separate teams’ to one Commercial team working towards a shared goal.

So, How Do We Bridge the Gap?

The best Commercial team I ever worked in was one where I intentionally brought Sales and Marketing together - literally. We sat side by side, right in the middle of the office, every single day.

My Marketing team and I didn’t just assume what Sales needed - we listened. We heard first-hand the objections and challenges they faced on calls, which completely changed the way we thought about content. Meanwhile, the Sales team had direct input into our campaigns, feeding us insights straight from the ‘coal face’ - golden nuggets of knowledge that no market research report could ever give us.

We learned to understand each other’s language - and yes, they even became fans of post-it notes and different colour pens!

In a nutshell:

• Talk more. Regular check-ins between Sales and Marketing aren’t a ‘nice to have’ - they’re essential.

• Share data. Sales insights help Marketing refine targeting and messaging. Marketing data helps Sales personalise outreach.

• Define what success looks like together. If Marketing is measured on MQLs and Sales is measured on closed deals, we need to ensure there’s alignment on what a ‘qualified’ lead actually looks like.

• Respect each other’s expertise. Marketing isn’t ‘fluff,’ and Sales isn’t just about ‘hitting numbers.’ When we acknowledge the strengths of both teams, we create a powerhouse.

Final Thoughts

The single biggest lesson I’ve learned over the years? You need to meet Sales where they are. Too often, as marketers, we create what we think is the perfect campaign and then lob it over the fence at Sales like, “Here you go! We did all this for you.” But the reality is, if we don’t bring Sales into the process early - if we don’t make them part of the end-to-end concept - we miss out on building something truly meaningful.

When Sales and Marketing are in sync, magic happens. We never struggled to fill events. We never had to beg for social shares. The Sales team wasn’t just ‘aware’ of what we were doing - they were fully bought in, actively working with us to get the message out.

The Sales & Marketing divide isn’t inevitable. The best businesses I’ve seen are the ones where these teams work hand in hand, with a shared mission and mutual respect. So, if you’re in Sales, reach out to your Marketing team and invite them to sit in on a sales call. If you’re in Marketing, ask your Sales team what materials actually help them sell.

Because at the end of the day, winning is a team sport - and we all want to win.